RALEIGH — Recruiting business to a certain area often requires a sophisticated strategy. Triangle business leaders hope to have a high degree of success with a low-voltage approach.

The energy crisis in California has left many of Silicon Valley's high-tech firms looking for the light switch. People push North Carolina's Research Triangle Park area recognized an aggressive marketing opportunity.

Earlier this month, the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce sent a mailer to 89 Silicon Valley firms. In the mailer, a nine-volt battery was included with the message "Are you in the dark about where to grow your company?"

Chamber leaders say the electricity issue is fair game. They know that the power crunch has California's business community charged up.

"To a large degree, the local economy and ultimately the national economy depends on this," said Kurt Yeager of the Electric Power Research Institute. "It's sort of teetering on the edge of some very serious problems."

The pitch has already sparked the interest of one company. The entire campaign cost only about $400, which city leaders hope will be repaid thousands of times over.